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Defending champions Las Vegas Aces hope to sustain its winning momentum when it battles the red-hot Minnesota Lynx on Wednesday, August 21, 2024 in the Michelob ULTRA Arena in Paradise, Nevada.
Las Vegas heads into this game with a chip on their shoulder, especially since Minnesota beat them pretty convincingly in their last encounter to tie the season series at one-piece.
With both teams sitting neck-and-neck in the standings, this matchup promises to be incredibly exciting and could potentially be a nail-biter. Who will take the pivotal lead in the season series? As of press time, here’s how the current Las Vegas Aces vs. Minnesota Lynx stand.
The Las Vegas Aces returned to the win column in dominant fashion with an 87-71 victory over the Los Angeles Sparks on Sunday thanks to the monster double-double effort of MVP candidate A’ja Wilson, who exploded for 34 points and 13 rebounds.
Wilson has been nothing short of spectacular this season, leading her team in both scoring and rebounds in the past five games. Put simply, Wilson always shows up for the Aces night in and night out.
However, for them to cover the spread against the Lynx this time, they will need the supporting cast to do the same. In their previous matchup with Minnesota, Las Vegas found themselves unable to answer a balanced scoring effort from the Lynx.
As a matter of fact, all five Lynx starters scored in double figures. The Aces, meanwhile, were bleeding for offensive production with Wilson and Kelsey Plum being the only starters recording double-digit outputs.
This is simply unacceptable against a loaded Lynx team that has incredible depth in multiple positions.
Should Young step up and Wilson continues her stellar play, backing the Aces to cover the spread at home is something worth considering.
Another thing worth noting is that in their last loss against the Lynx, they were playing without court general Chelsea Gray, who spent most of the first half of the season on the sidelines due to an injury. With Gray back in the lineup, the Aces have someone who can orchestrate the offense, which could prove vital against a tough Minnesota squad.
The Minnesota Lynx got a much-needed boost heading into the final stretch following the return of All-Star forward Napheesa Collier from injury. Collier was sidelined for some part of July after suffering from a plantar fasciitis injury.
Considering that Las Vegas’ A’ja Wilson going bonkers in the past few games, the Lynx need someone who can negate her offense. With Collier back in the lineup, Minnesota will now have enough firepower to match Wilson’s offensive and defensive exploits.
What’s impressive about this Minnesota Lynx squad, though, is their ability to cover the spread when playing away from the Target Center.
Considering that both teams are healthy heading into this matchup, backing the Lynx could offer potential value, especially since they are much more reliable than the Aces as far as ATS records are concerned.
One thing that could potentially decide the outcome of this game is the performance of Lynx center Alanna Smith.
Should Smith replicate that performance and the Lynx get the usual numbers from Collier and Kelsey Plum, backing them to pull off the upset on the road is certainly worth a look.
Both teams have enough depth and talent to beat one another. Put simply, this matchup is basically a pick ‘em. When that happens, I usually lean towards the underdog and this time is no different.
As much as I love A’ja Wilson and the Las Vegas Aces, there’s good value in backing the Minnesota Lynx to potentially win outright.
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